accident

American  

[ak-si-duhnt] / ˈæk sɪ dənt /

noun

accidents plural

1. an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap.

   automobile accidents.

   Synonyms:

   disaster, contingency, misadventure, misfortune, mischance

2. Law. such a happening resulting in injury that is in no way the fault of the injured person for which compensation or indemnity is legally sought.

3. any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause.

4. chance; fortune; luck.

   I was there by accident.

   Antonyms:

   intent, design

5. a fortuitous circumstance, quality, or characteristic.

   an accident of birth.

6. Philosophy. any entity or event contingent upon the existence of something else.

7. Geology. a surface irregularity, usually on a small scale, the reason for which is not apparent.

---

accident British  

/ ˈæksɪdənt /

noun

1. an unforeseen event or one without an apparent cause

2. anything that occurs unintentionally or by chance; chance; fortune

   I met him by accident

3. a misfortune or mishap, esp one causing injury or death

4. Also called: adjunct.  logic philosophy a nonessential attribute or characteristic of something (as opposed to substance)

5. metaphysics a property as contrasted with the substance in which it inheres

6. geology a surface irregularity in a natural formation, esp in a rock formation or a river system

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• postaccident
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accidents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of accident

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin accident-, stem of accidēns “happening,” present participle of accidere “to befall, happen,” from ac- ac- + -cidere, combining form of cadere “to fall”

Explanation

An accident is an unfortunate event. By their very nature, accidents are not planned. Rear-ending the car ahead of you, spilling milk, losing your footing on an icy sidewalk — all of these are considered accidents. You will most often hear people use accident to describe an unfortunate mistake, like swerving into oncoming traffic or making a sloppy calculation. However, an accident could have a positive outcome as well: "The invention of the chocolate chip cookie was a happy accident, occurring when the cook decided to add the chopped chocolate to the batter without melting it first."

Example Sentences

At the time, the car had front-end damage from an accident that caused air bags to deploy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

"The cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and... those responsible must be strictly held accountable," Xi said, in remarks carried by Xinhua.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

It could also involve redesigning some parts, such as battery casings, to make them replaceable so that the battery itself does not need to be discarded after a minor accident.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

The Clovis Police Department is now investigating the hit-and-run accident.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026

Culver family of rural Sycamore Township was involved in an accident with an automobile last Thursday.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• calamity
• casualty
• disaster
• hazard
• mishap
• pileup
• setback